Wells may be plugged and abandoned for a variety of reasons, but generally because the formation from which hydrocarbon was being produced is no longer economical or productive. There are several ways to plug and abandon a well; however, regulations typically require a cement plug to be set in the wellbore to permanently isolate an upper portion of the wellbore from a lower portion thereof.
The cement used for these plugs may have a tendency to form cracks or other pathways that allow fluid traversal past the plug. Accordingly, inflatable sealing elements may be used along with the cement. To use such inflatable sealing elements, a section of the casing may be milled out or otherwise removed. Next, a tool including a sealing element is run within the casing, until positioned where the section of casing has been removed. The plug is then inflated, and cement is pumped down onto the top of the inflatable sealing element, such that the sealing element and the cement combine to isolate the lower portion of the well.
However, the cement being pumped down applies a force on the plug, which may sometimes move the plug away from its desired position, e.g., further into the well. In some cases, this inability to remain in place may affect the plugging of the well.